This invention relates to optical communication circuits and, more particularly, to an all-optical repeater for use in an optical communication system.
The most important feature of optical digital signal transmission is the ability to reconstruct the transmitted pulse train after it has traveled through a dispersive and noisy medium (free-space, optical fiber, etc.). This process of reconstructing the pulse train is performed at intervals along the transmission path by regenerative repeaters.
In prior art optical communication system repeaters, received optical signals are converted to electrical signals, processed using well-known electronic circuits and then converted to optical signals for transmission. As bit rates increase, the expense and complexity of performing regeneration electronically rise dramatically. The initial design is much more difficult at high speeds, and the extreme reliability required of telecommunications repeaters compounds the cost. Thus, there is a continuing need to improve the performance of optical regenerators.